red brick

[beaglebriar]

I have a bunch of old red brick that I plan to use as fire brick in my arch. They are the old solid type and from what I've read they will handle the heat just fine. Anyone ever done this? Do you see any issues other than maybe cracking? I have a good supply so if I need to replace one here and there it shouldn't be a problem.

[buckeye gold]

If i were a betting man, I'd bet they will fall apart under the extreme conditions in a syrup arch.

[monterey]

I know of a old timer that did the same thing as you are going to try .The next season he replaced them with fire brick,and muttered all the way through the job.Of coarse his wife did not let him forget, even to this day she still has a chuckle over it.

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

I was told by a mason not to use the reds I had. I think they will start to come apart at 6-800. Inside the arch it may get 12-1500. I would guess the reds would crumble and not only damage the metal on the arch, but also cause a loss of heat transfer to the pans. I would think you could find some used fire bricks, even try 1" bricks and ceramic blanket. Not sure the cheapest way, but build it to handle the high heat and you won't be worried each time you get it rumbling good.

Ben

[WI Sugarpop]

When I was still in the back yard sugarin stage I used red solids and they would crack and crumble every year. When I got an actual arch I invested in fire brick. I did get some used fire brick from an old fireplace and I used them on the ramp.

[beaglebriar]

OK.....I guess I'll have to loosen the wallet up a bit and get fire brick. I've been having fun with this build and I'd hate to ruin it with a melt down. Glad I asked for input before I went ahead.

[ericjeeper]

I have two 275 gallon oil drum arches. One is six years old, the other is 3, I used house bricks cause they were free. Sure a few cracked, but they did not crumble and fall out..No regrets

[beaglebriar]

I have two 275 gallon oil drum arches. One is six years old, the other is 3, I used house bricks cause they were free. Sure a few cracked, but they did not crumble and fall out..No regrets
Did you cement your bricks in?

[stoneslabs]

On my arch build, I used 100 yr old ( or so ) red clay bricks. They worked just fine, they actually glow bright orange when the fire gets going. Out of the 80 or so in there ( fire box and ramp ) I replaced 1 brick that was cracked and had crumbled a bit. So far no problems here, but I will eventually upgrade to fire brick for better insulation... Someday :-)

[beaglebriar]

Glad to hear it. That is what I have they are left over antique brick from work we did on our house. I'm going to use them. It will cost 250-300 dollars for fire brick at the prices I've found locally. That's really not where I want to go with this.

[buckeye gold]

Beaglebriar, may I suggest you get a bucket of refractory cement and lay the brick with it and I'd go ahead and just plaster the refractory over the entire brick surface. I actually have done this in my arch with firebrick and everything remains really solid and good until I disturb it for modifications.

[TrentonMaple]

I've used red bricks on the rear part of my arch to raise it up close to the pan. They seemed to work fine and I had no crumbling. I would not, however, use them in the front firebox where you will be pitching wood and rustling them constantly.

[beaglebriar]

Beaglebriar, may I suggest you get a bucket of refractory cement and lay the brick with it and I'd go ahead and just plaster the refractory over the entire brick surface. I actually have done this in my arch with firebrick and everything remains really solid and good until I disturb it for modifications.
That's what I've been thinking. My father in law is a mason and that's what he suggested as well.Thanks for the input.

[Quagmire33]

I used new red brick In my 55 gallon drum evaporator I made. during the first hot boil I did, the bricks would "pop". Guessing it was the moisture in them. Yes they cracked but over 3 seasons they never crumbled. If you have them already, what do you have to lose by trying it for a couple seasons. Just time, which I know is valuable but it doesn't hurt as much as $300 for fire brick. Just my $0.02.

[sams64]

After the sticker shock I got when I priced fire brick I decided to use red brick. There were piles of them all over my yard so the price was right and they are still fine after 2 years. There may be some cracks, but, nothing is crumbling or falling apart.

sam